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Uganda troops told to leave Sudan

South Sudan government accuses Uganda troops of abducting and killing a civilian.

01 Jul 2008 12:22 GMT

Peace talks between the Ugandan government and the LRA have stalled [EPA]

However, Major Paddy Ankunda, Uganda's military spokesman, said that his government had received no formal communication telling its soldiers to leave.

"We have troops in southern Sudan under an arrangement with the government there, because the threat by LRA rebels still exists," he told the Reuters news agency.

Uganda, which has had troops pursuing LRA forces in southern Sudan since 2002, said it would keep its soldiers there to stop the rebels returning to northern Uganda and threatening Ugandan security.

Village raided

Machar, who has been a mediator in stalled peace talks between the LRA and the Ugandan government, said he sent a team to investigate a raid on Nyongwa village on June 14 where about 30 armed men reportedly looted food and household goods.

"The rest of the evidence is there. Indeed, it didn't turn out to be the LRA, but they were UPDF," he said.

The body of 31-year-old Jino Moga Mandara was found three days later with a head injury and stab wound, seemingly from a bayonet, three kilometres away from the scene.

Police reportedly found a military pack containing green military uniforms a pair of military boots, two ponchos, three caps and a document, as well as a small bag carrying two saucepans, two plastic plates beans and cooking oil at the scene.

While investigators say that they discovered written evidence implicating the UPDF.